The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-03-22
THE DEAD PASTOR
Some Stories About the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher.
Especial Correspondence

Some Stories About the New. Henry
Ward Beecher.
Especial Correspondence
{ NEW York, March l5-The newspapers
. will be full Of stories about Henry Ward
! Beecber for weeks Here is one he once told
Of himself At one time the faculty decided
that the religious tone Of the Amherst college,
r where he studied, needed 10 be raised and
resolved upon visitation OF the students
in their room for that purpose One day
he saw Professor Burgess, an immensely tall
man, making his way up stairs toward his
iBeechers room and, anticipating visit from
him, he hustled all his chairs but one. the
legs Of which had been shortened one-half, into
his wood closet. Seated with a book on
his low chair, he babe the professor come in.
and of course proffered him the seat Back
ing up before it, the tall professor stopped
and began sounding for it, and ut length sue
ceeded in touching bottom and settled down,
bringing his knees quite up into his face and
I presenting altogether very comical aspect.
For himself, REFRESHING his risibilties with an
iron nerve, Mr.. Beecher said he stood and
meehly awaited the expected homily. But
the professor, under the circumstances. proved
unequal TO it, and after moments inspec-
ton of his knees burst into a loud laugh, in
which Beecher heartily joined him, and. with
the remark that be believed he would call !
again, he struggled to perpendicular and /
bowed himself out
Joe Howard, writing for New York
paper over year ago, told this story:
"Beecher was always q great swimmer.
There was in those days near Fulton ferry q
huge Heating bath house kept 10y an old time
exhorter named Gray. Thither Mr.. Beecher
used to go in his younger days, with head
long jump plunge deep into the East river
waves, spouting and putting with all the
energy of full developed whale, an expert
swimmer, diver better than any boy in the
City of Churches. The price for bath was
shilling, and | shall never forget the odd
sensation / experienced one day when meet
ing the dominic III the street, he asked if |
would go down to the ferry and take bath Z
was about years DID, and not overburdened Z
with spending money, and bluntly told him |
would like TO go first rate but hadn't got the !
shilling. A quizzical look spread all over his
ruddy face as, laughingly, he took me by the
hand and said: Come along; when you ask a
young lady 10 take ice cream with you YOU A
ion't expect her to pay for it, do your"
Beocher's habit of reading when travelling
'n railroad trains favored both his ewes and {;
us brain. He did not pore over a book con. 6
family but satisfied himself with lesuroy y
eferences to it, After reading not to exceed r
page and a half he used to drop the book X
nto his lap and rest in reflection and window
azing for few minutes before he resumed II
is reading. This process of book study was ID
one over with uniform exactness When he Ii
ad enough "inwardly digested," he went into a
doze TIL refreshed and then bent TO the
ook again
They say that he had little idea of the valus Gl
money, and well known writer tells this n,
DRY TO back it up;
81 was passing the office of j. b. Ford e. Co,
hen they were his publishers years ago, and
amuel Wilkinson, one Of the firm. called me
to show me the proofs of the illustrations g
the first volume Of the Life Of Chris -, -, Pa
hich Mr.. Beecher was then engaged Ibod -
imired a great many of the psf 1rhou I"
'ilkinson, coming to newa%o s,'ddonI,' An
atched IT W and 1ari ha,cl.s..ned See thatnowl
lere Is an illustration of Mr. Beecher's ig- AZ
france of the value of money That steel
ate cost $500 and he has made correction Sw
lich compels the re-engraving of the whole
was the title page, beautifully executed on
rel II read as engraved, Life of Jesus c.
lrist by Henry Ward Beecher, etc. But on
e margin was written in cramped characters,
be inserted after Jesus and before
hrist a comma and the word the, the
ter looking so like capital H that
I'D it so aloud; whereupon Wilkinson
lgbingy explained what it was. Beecher -
lghed over it year or two later when
d him Of it, and admitted that the idea OF -
peculiar title had come to him after the (
lume had been written, and he at once "
opted it without the slightest thought of
cost TO his publishers"
5ut everybody agreed that he was a great
acher. WALTER WHEREBY